Filling nozzle for apparatus for filling containers with liquid



Aug. 3, 1954 c. L. DAY ET AL 2,685,396

FILLING NOZZLE FOR APPARATUS FOR FILLING CONTAINERS WITH LIQUID Filed Sept. 5, 1951 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I INVENTORS: i' i fl qy Lpa E 131x721 u BY MAW wag/ 6M ATTORNEYS.

Aug. 3, 1954 c. L. DAY ETA 2,685,396

7 FILLING NOZZLE FOR APPAR us FOR FILLING CONTAINERS WITH LIQUID Filed Sept. 5, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fj gni Fig.4.

INVENTORS:

8 11.11/13, "v L,e0 1 Ila/71,1

(MA My 6W ATTORNEYS.

Patented Aug. 3, 1954 UNITED STATES P TENT OFFICE FILLING NOZZLE FOR APPARATUS FOR. FILLING CONTAINERS WITH LIQUID Application September 5, 1951, Serial No. 245,106

7 Claims.

This invention; relates to. a filling nozzle or head for filling containers with non-carbonated or still liquid. More particularly, this invention. relates to animproved filling nozzle for conventional automatic bottle filling machines of the type which have afilling platform, on which the bottle to be-filled is positioned, and a superposed liquidreservoir, the gas or air space of which is under reduced pressure. In such machines the filling platform usually lifts to. raise the bottle into-engagementwiththe filling nozzle which depends from the liquid reservoir; though in some machines the liquid reservoir or filling nozzle may be lowered; to accomplish such engagement.

The filling nozzle-or head'of suchmachines incorporates a valve which is opened by the engagement and movement of a portion of the nozzle by th container to "be filled, to thus automatically-permitliquid tofiow'from the reservoir through the nozzleand into the container. In order to prevent overflow of the container being-filled; the nozzle is provided with an annular gasket or-padthat. is engageablewith the mouth'of thecontainer toseal the same-from the atmosphere. This seal: creates the problem of properly venting air from the container during the filling thereof with liquid. Accordingly, the filler head must also be constructed to. incorporate. such a vent. The vent usually leads to. the air space above, the liquid in. the reservoir, which space, for use with filler nozzles of the type under consideration, is under pressure less than atmospheric. Filling: machinesof this type are called vacuum machines. After the container has been filled, it is lowered from engagement with the nozzle to automatically close the valve and stop the fiow of liquid.

Filler nozzles of the aforementioned type present numerous problems which must be-overcome to provide satisfactory operation without undue complexity. Among these problems may be mentioned those of providing a structure which may be easily taken apart and cleaned for sanitary reasons, as when filling containers with various types of beverages, of providing a nozzle which is dripless to avoid a messy and unsanitary condition of the filling machine, and of preventing blocking of the vent passage with the liquid. Additionally, another problem involves the com struction of a filler nozzle with a minimum of parts, in order to minimize crevices in whic beverage residues may be-deposited, for the purpose of meeting various sanitary codes affecting machines for fillingbottles with milk and similar beverages.

Accordingly; it is an object of this invention toprovide an improvedfiller head for vacuum apparatus for filing containers with non-roarbonated or still liquids.

It is another object. of this invention to provide a filler nozzle of the type described which is dripless.

It is another object of this invention to provide a filler nozzle of the type described in which the liquid outlet and the vent inlet: are so. located and arranged as to prevent blocking ofthe vent with liquid during the filling'operation.

Itis still another object of' this invention to provide a nozzle of the type describedthat can easily and quickly be disassembled for cleaning purposes and can be reassembled; in an extremely short time.

It isv a further objectof this invention to provide a nozzle of the type described having a minimum of parts to thereby: avoid joint: crevices in which beverage residues may collect, so as to render inspection and cleaning of such nozzle an extremely simple operation.

Other objects andadvantages of this invention will be readily apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings, in. which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevational' View of aportion of a container filling machine illustrating a filler nozzle embodying, this invention in operativeposition overa container to befilled.

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the filler nozzle illustrated in Figure 1, showing th container engaged therewith in position to start the filling operation.

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the filler nozzle illustrated in Figure 1,,showing the. position of the parts ofthe filler nozzle when open to permit liquid to flow therethrough during the filling operation.

Figure 4 is a view corresponding to Figure 2 showing the position of the parts in the filler nozzle asthe container is-being withdrawn therefrom at the termination. of th filling operation.

Figures 5, 6, and 7 are sectional views taken on the correspondingly numbered section lines of Figure 4.

Referring now to the drawings, thereare shown in Figure l a filling platform 20 and superposed, preferably constant level, closed liquid reservoir 2-2 that are conventional in automatic bottle filling machines of th type with which this invention" is concerned. The air space 2.4; above the liquid in the reservoir is maintained under a pressure; less than atmospheric by means. of.

suitable vacuum producing means such as a pump (not shown). A small mouthed beverage bottle 26 is shown on the platform 20 in position to be filled, but it will be realized that a filler nozzle embodying this invention is adapted to fill all types of liquid containers, whether of glass or other material. The reservoir 22 is provided with a removable cover 28 and a depending boss or downspout 30 positioned directly over the filling platform 20. The downspout 30 has a smooth cylindrical bore 32 therethrough and is provided, adjacent the bottom wall 34 of the reservoir 22, with an upwardly facing frustoconical valve seat 36.

A valve body 38 is mounted for vertical slidable movement within the bore 32 of the downspout 3B and has an enlarged upper portion forming a shoulder 58 against which a detachable ring or annular valve head 42, preferably of rubber or other suitable material, is seated. The lower end of the valve head 42 has a frusto-conical valve surface 44 complementary to and seating on the valve seat 36. The reduced lower portion of the valve body 33 fits snugly within the bore of the downspout 3S and extends downwardly therethrough to a point somewhat below the lower end thereof. The upper portion of the valve body 38 extends upwardly above the level of the liquid in the reservoir into the reduced pressure air space 24 thereabove, and preferably is weighted for reasons later described.

The valve body 38 is provided with a small bore extending vertically therethrough and secured in such bore is a vent tube 46 that extends slightly above the upper end of the valve body and also depends from the lower end thereof. The vent tube 46 has an inlet 48 at its lower end adapted to be disposed within the mouth of a container to be filled. The reduced portion of the valve body 38 is provided with a slot 50 merging with the lower end of the bore in which the vent tube 46 is mounted. Secured in the slot against the vent tube 46 is a filling tube 52 having an outwardly curved upper end which forms an inlet 54 disposed immediately beneath the valve head 42. The filling tube 52 extends downwardly in parallel relation to the vent tube 46 and has a longitudinal indentation 56 partially embracing the latter, as best shown in Figures 6 and '7. A filler element 58 is disposed in the slot over the filling tube 52 and the crevices between such element 58 and the filling tube, and between the filling tube and the vent tube 46, are filled with silver solder, or the like, and the entire lower portion of the valve head 38 is then finished off to provide a smooth cylindrical exterior surface which fits snugly within the bore 32 of the downspout 30. Likewise, those portions of the filling and vent tubes 52 and 48 depending below the valve body 38 are soldered together and finished off to provide a filling tip 60 having a smooth cylindrical exterior surface.

The filling tube 52 has a discharge outlet 62 adjacent the inlet 48 to the vent tube 45, and both the inlet 48 and the outlet 62 are beveled, as shown, to provide a somewhat sharpened configuration to the lower end of the filling tip 60 to facilitate its introduction into the mouth of a container.

snugly mounted on the filling tip 6!] and seated against the underside of the valve body 38 is an annular sealing gasket or washer 64, of rubber or other appropriate material. This washer 64 is adapted to engage and seal the mouth of a container from the surrounding atmosphere during 4- the filling operation. The thickness of such gasket 64 controls the filling height, or head space, in the container after the same has been filled. Accordingly, the head space may be varied by replacing the washer 54 with others of different thickness.

The reduced lower portion of the valve body 38, or rather the filler element 58, is provided with a longitudinal exterior groove 56 extending downwardly from the inlet 5:? to the filling tube 52 to a point slightly below the downspout 39, when the valve body 38 is seated on its seat 36. This groove 65, when the valve body is seated, provides communication between the upper end of the filling tube 52 and the exterior atmosphere for reasons later described.

The operation of the filler nozzle is as follows: With the container 26 positioned on the filling platform 20, as illustrated in Figure 1, rotation of the filling table and reservoir results in raising the platform to cause the container mouth to move upwardly about the filling tip 66 into sealing engagement with the gasket 64, as shown in Figure 2, to thereby seal the interior of the container from the outside atmosphere. Because the vent tube 46 is constantly open, the interior of the container is therefore placed under the reduced pressure of the reservoir air space 24. Continued upward movement of the filling platform 20 serves to raise the valve body 38, thereby lifting the valve head 42 from its seat 36 and exposing the filling tube inlet 54 to the interior of the reservoir 22 to permit liquid to flow, by gravity, down through the filling tube 52 into the container 26. Simultaneously, the air displaced from the container 26 by the infiowing liquid is forced upwardly through the vent tube 46 into the air space 24. In this connection, it will be noted that the entire length of the groove 66 is disposed completely within the downspout 30 when the valve body 38 is unseated, to thereby interrupt the aforementioned communication between the upper end of the filling tube 52 and the outside atmosphere. The container will continue to be filled until the level of the liquid therein reaches the vent tube outlet 48, at which time the filling operation will cease. Liquid will continue to rise through the vent tube 46, however, until it stands therein at the level of the liquid in the reservoir 22. At this point the container 26 is now filled and ready to be withdrawn.

When the filling platform 29 lowers and the filled container 26 starts its withdrawing or downward movement, the weight of the valve body 38 maintains the seal between th mouth of the container and the annular gasket 84 until the valve head 42 seats on its seat 35. Simultaneously with the seating of the valve head 52, the container mouth will break away from its engagement with the annular gasket 54. At this instant the reduced pressur within the air space 2d of the reservoir 22 becomes eifective to suck the liquid standing in the vent tube it up into the reservoir, thus clearing the vent tube of liquid in preparation for the next filling cycle. It is pointed out that the pressure in the air space 24 is not low enough to prevent the filled container from breaking, by gravity, the sealing engagement with the gasket 64. As the valve body 38 is seated, the lower end of the groove 68 becomes exposed to the outside atmosphere, thus providing communication between the outside atmosphere and the inlet 52 to the filling tube 52. Hence, liquid trapped in the filling tube 52 during the descent of the valv body '38 aces-see:

5. may drain freely down intothe container 26, during the: latters withdrawal. from the nozzle tip 60,. without being held in the tube 52 by a fvacuum block at the upper end thereof. It will thus be seen that the provision of means to place the upper end of the filling tube 52 into communication with the outside atmosphere, after the valve body 3'23 has seated, prevents afterdrip from the nozzle and thereby avoids a messy and unsanitary condition of the" filling apparatus.

Thereafter, another container is positioned on the filling platform 20'. and the above described cycle is repeated.

The unitary construction of the nozzle, embodying only three easily disassembled parts, i. e., the valve body 38 together with its integral tubes 46 and 52, and the rubber valve head 42 and washer 64, greatly facilitates the ease of disassembly and reassembiy in operating position within the reservoir downspout 36. Additionally, such integral construction of the valve body 38 and the tubes 46 and 52 greatly increases the ease of inspection and cleaning and also serves to eliminate joint crevices to make for an extremely sanitary construction.

It will be realized that the described manner in which the valve body 38 and tubes 46 and 52 are assembled is but one method of forming th integral structural unit. It will also be realized that various changes in the specific embodiment shown for purposes of illustrating the invention will be apparent to one skilled in the art. Therefore, this invention embraces all modifications which are encompassed by the spirit and scope of the following claims.

We claim:

1. In a filler head for filling apparatus having a filling platform and a superposed liquid reservoir, at least one of which is vertically movable, the combination comprising: a downspout depending from the reservoir and having a valve seat associated therewith at the upper end thereof; a valve assembly mounted for vertical movement in said downspout and cooperating with said seat, said assembly having a filling passage provided with an inlet for inflow of liquid from the reservoir upon upward movement of said assembly said inlet being normally disposed within said downspout; and means defining an air passage normally providing communication between said filling passage, adjacent said inlet, and the outside atmosphere, said air passage being closed by upward movement of said assembly.

2. A filler nozzle for filling apparatus having a filling platform and a superposed liquid reservoir, at least one of which is vertically movable, said nozzle comprising: a vertically movable valve assembly provided with a filling passage extending upwardly from the lower end thereof and having an inlet in the side of said assembly; a downwardly facing valve surface on said assembly immediately above said inlet for cooperation with a valve seat in an outlet to the reservoir; and means defining an air passage in said assembly normally providing communication between said inlet and the outside atmosphere and closable upon upward movement of said assembly.

3. In a filler nozzle for vacuum-venting filling machines having a source of suction, a filling platform, and a superposed liquid reservoir, the combination comprising: a downspout depending from the reservoir and having a valve seat at its upper end; a valve assembly mounted for vertical movement in said downspout and cooperating with said" seat, said assemblyhaving a portion thereof adapted to depend from said downspout for insertion into a container to be filled; means defining a vent passage extending upwardly through said assembly and communi eating, at its upper end, with the source of suetion; means defining a filling passage extending upwardly through said assembly and having an inlet normally disposed within saiddownspout for'infi'ow of liquid from the reservoir upon upward movement of said assembly; means on said assembly for sealing the mouth of the container thereto with the lower ends ofsaid passages in communication with the interior of the con tainer; and means defining an air passage'insaid assembly normally providing communication be"- tween the outside atmosphere and said filling passage, adjacent said inlet, and being closed upon upward movement of said assembly.

i. A filler head for container filling apparatus having a filling platform and a superposed reduced-pressure liquid reservoir, at least one of which is vertically movable, said head comprising: a downspout depending from the reservoir and having a valve seat at its upper end; a vertically movable valve assembly cooperating with said seat and having a filling passage provided with an inlet normally disposed within said downspout for flow of liquid from the reservoir into the container and a vent passage for flow of air displaced from the container into the reduced pressure air space of the reservoir upon upward movement of said assembly; gasket means on said assembly sealingly engageable with the mouth of the container with the ends of said passages in communication with the interior thereof; and means defining an air passage normally providing communication between outside atmosphere and said filling passage adjacent its inlet, said air passage being closed by upward movement of said assembly.

5. In container filling apparatus having a filling platform and a reduced-pressure liquid reservoir, at least one of which is vertically movable,

* the combination comprising: a downspout depending from the reservoir; an upwardly facing valve seat associated with said downspout; a valve assembly mounted for vertical movement in said downspout and cooperating with said valve seat, said assembly having a filling passage provided with an outlet below said downspout for flow of liquid into a container upon upward movement of said assembly and a vent passage for communication with the interior of the container and having an outlet disposed in the reduced pressure air space of the reservoir; gasket means on said assembly for sealing engagement With the mouth of the container; and a longitudinal groove in the side of said assembly extending downwardly from the inlet end of said filling passage and normally communicating with the outsid atmosphere, said groove being disposed completely within said downspout upon upward movement of said assembly.

6. The structure defined in claim 5 in which the gasket means also seals against the lower rim of the downspout upon upward movement of the valve assembly.

'7. In container filling apparatus having a filling platform and a superposed liquid reservoir provided with an air spac above the liquid therein, at least one of which is vertically movable, the combination comprising; a downspout depending from the reservoir and having a valve seat associated therewith; a valve assembly mounted for vertical movement in said downspout and cooperating with said valve seat, said assembly having a portion depending below said downspout for insertion into a. container to be filled; means defining a filling passage extending upwardly from the lower end of said assembly for inflow of liquid upon upward movement of said assembly and a vent passage extending upwardly through said assembly and communicating, at its upper end, with the air space above the liquid in the reservoir; and gasket means mounted on said depending portion of said assembly for sealing engagement with the mouth of a container to be filled and with the lower rim of said downspout upon upward movement of said assembly.

References Cited in the file of this patent Number Number UNITED STATES PATENTS 

